The London Business School (LBS) alumni community gathered on 1 October in Abidjan for the second Ivorian edition of the Worldwide Alumni Celebration (WAC), an annual event that brings together the institution's graduates from around the world. Organized at the residence of the United Kingdom's Ambassador to Côte d'Ivoire under the theme 'Beyond Borders', the meeting brought together executives and professionals from the banking and finance, insurance, consulting, entrepreneurship, and industry sectors.
This edition was also open to graduates from other leading Anglo-Saxon business schools, reinforcing the event's international dimension. The evening was notably marked by the presence of the President of the National Assembly of Côte d'Ivoire, Patrick Achi, guest of honor, accompanied by a significant delegation.
The Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives, Milton Dick, the Vice-President of the National Assembly, the Chief of Staff, several members of parliament, and the Deputy High Commissioner of Australia based in Ghana were also among the participants. See also- Hervé Yoh, President of the London Business School Alumni - Francophone Africa: 'Our ambition is to build bridges with Francophone Africa'.
Speaking, the United Kingdom's Ambassador to Côte d'Ivoire, John Marshall, praised the mobilization of LBS alumni and highlighted the richness of the educational and professional ties between the United Kingdom and Côte d'Ivoire. He notably encouraged participants to strengthen these exchanges and promote English language learning, presented as an additional lever for international openness for Ivorian youth.
Hervé Gérard Yoh, President of the London Business School alumni for Francophone Africa, presented several initiatives led by the Côte d'Ivoire Chapter in the fields of education and sustainability. He also mentioned Côte d'Ivoire's increasing participation in the school's international bodies, before requesting the support of Ivorian and British authorities to make Abidjan a stop for MBA study trips from LBS, on par with certain African destinations such as South Africa.
The main highlight of the evening was Patrick Achi's intervention on the theme 'Cross-border leadership in Africa and the role that international program graduates can play in the economic and financial sectors, as well as in sustainable impact (ESG)'. Drawing on his personal experience, the President of the National Assembly insisted on the responsibility of African elites in the transformation of the continent and on the importance of human capital as the primary wealth of states.
See also- Côte d'Ivoire: The ESCA, an elite factory, celebrates 50 years of excellence and training of economic leaders. Referring in particular to the development trajectories of several Asian economies, including Singapore, he called on Africans trained in major international universities to put their skills at the service of their country and the continent.
For him, the true impact of these paths is not measured solely by individual success, but also by the ability of their beneficiaries to contribute to the economic and social transformations of their environment. 'You must do it without necessarily linking the results of your actions to your presence at the time they bear fruit.
That is also what it means to go beyond the borders: Beyond Borders,' he stated. The discussions also focused on the shifts reshaping the global economy, with a presentation dedicated to artificial intelligence titled 'The next leap forward – IA and Africa: a window already closing'.
A theme particularly in line with the concerns of executives and investors, as artificial intelligence is gradually becoming a strategic issue for companies, markets, and economies. With more than 56 000 alumni and around a hundred clubs around the world, the London Business School intends to make its network a space for professional exchange, continuous learning, and collaboration.
In Abidjan, the WAC served above all to remind that these international networks can also serve as a bridge between skills acquired abroad and the development challenges of the African continent. Fanuelle YAO.
Published on 06/10/26 08:35. The Editorial Staff